Setting Intentions for the New Year

You may find yourself hopeful this New Year for your life to be different, for problems to go away, and for life to be easier. I encourage you to take the leap from hope to faith this year and put the power of intention into action in your life.

I recently read a definition of faith – moving from hope to faith takes place because of love. When we start to truly love ourselves we can start to see the light of deserving shining as a beacon to guide our way. Intentions are based in love and faith and can be potent guiding lights for you for this next beautiful New Year.

Intentions are declarations you make with yourself to follow a certain direction. This is very different that a New Year’s resolution. For most people a New Year’s resolution comes from guilt, what I should do, or self beat up. For example, I should get going with an exercise problem, I’ve got to lose 20 pounds, I need to start eating better, etc. These statements are dis empowering and the motivation doesn’t last and neither does the action or the result.

This year use the power of your mind and the fuel of your emotions to set your course in an empowering and personal way. We all have the ability to change our thinking, our belief systems, and our patterns. Some we want to keep, some are good to leave behind. You may have a subconscious belief that you don’t deserve to have what you really want, or that life is hard, or that you’re unlovable. I call these erroneous beliefs. You can change these. Visualize how you truly want to be different inside this year. Let your senses and emotions bring it to life – see it, feel it, hear it! You may want to be peaceful at the end of the day. You wonder now, “Can that really happen?” Yes, it can! The intention that would go with that could be, “I experience peace in my thoughts, emotions, and actions throughout each day.” This intention, backed by the image of it, will guide you in the direction you want to go this year.

Another example would be “I’m at my perfect weight now.” Visualize from the inside how that feels and looks. This is also about having faith in knowing this is possible and accepting whatever that perfect weight is. You get to love yourself each step of the way. Your self-talk gets to match your intention. Your motivation will continue because you have a clear image of where you’re going.

Let the power of your mind and emotions support you this year in creating what you want. Have faith that intentions can guide your way in creating a fresh and new way of thinking, supported by your emotions, to take the positive action that will create the results you deserve. Happy New Year!

Written by Ruth Meinking, a Monument resident and holistic counselor at the Institute of Natural Healing in Colorado Springs. You can reach her at 632-0008 or 260-1400.